Combined flue stopper and cap.



@- .WMM

No. 769,837 PATENTED SEPT. 13, 1904.. H J. SAEGKER.

COMBINED FLUE STOPPER AND GAP.

APPLICATION FILED FEB 19, 1904.

N0 MODEL.

VIIIMWIIIIIMIIIMIUIII Wilgzsses Patented September 13, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT Trice.

H JULIUS SAECKER, OF TOMAH, WISCONSIN.

COMBINED FLUE STOPPER AND CAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 769,837, dated September 13, 1904.

Application filed February 19, 1904. Serial No. 194,375. (No model.)

To (LZZ "1117mm, it may concern:

Be it known that I, H J ULIUS SAECKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at T- mah, in the county of Monroe and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Combined Flue Stopper and Cap, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for temporarily closing the flue-openings in chimneys; and it has for its object to improve the construction and provide a device of this character which may be applied to lines of various sizes and which will not only effectually close the flue-opening and prevent formation of adverse currents in the chimney, but will also prevent the escape of sparks or flames therefrom.

With these and other objects in view,which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in certain novel features of construction, as hereafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which corresponding parts are denoted by like designating characters, is illustrated the preferred form of the embodiment of the invention capable of carrying the same into practical operation, it being understood that the invention is not necessarily limited thereto, as various changes in the shape, proportions, and general assemblage of the parts may be resorted to without departing from'the principle of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages, and the right is therefore reserved of making all the changes and modifications which fairly fall within the scope of the invention and the claims made therefor.

In the drawings thus employed, Figure l is a sectional elevation of a portion of achimney and adjacent Wall with the improvement applied. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the improved device detached and distended, and Fig. 3 is a view of the same collapsed. Fig. I is an enlarged perspective detail illustrating the construction of the rod-holding clip. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail illustrating a modified form of a part of the structure.

The flue-openings in chimneys when the stove-pipes are removed are usually covered by detachable caps supported in place by various forms of holding devices, generally of a resilient nature; but covering means of this character offer but slight protection from escaping fire or smoke, and to provide ample protection from this source of danger an inner stopper member 11 is provided to engage the inner walls of the thimble 12 and spaced from the cap member and connected thereto and detachable from the flue therewith. The stopper member 11 is formed of resilient sheet metal, with its rim 13 bent laterally for yieldable engagement with the inner walls of the thimble and connected to the cap member 10 by spaced resilient rods 14, curving outwardly and bearing against the inner wall of the thimble 12 intermediately of the ends of said thimble. By this means the cap member 10 and stopper member 11 are detachably supported in position and prevented from lateral or longitudinal movement. By this simple arrangement it will be obvious that the thimble is closed at both ends and all danger of the escape of lire effectually prevented, while at the same time a duplicate closure is provided to decrease the chances for accidental entrance of outside air to interfere with the draft in the chimney.

The stopper-plate 11 is provided with a plurality of spaced radiating clefts 15 16, disposed in pairs, four pairs being preferably employed and disposed at equal distances apart and at equal distances from the center of the plate. Through each pair of the clefts the side members of a U-shaped clip 17 are passed and clenched upon the opposite side of the plate, providing sockets for the reception of the laterally-bent ends 18 of the rods 14. The cap-plate is provided with similarly-arranged clips 19 for the other ends of the rods 14:. The opposite extremities of each rod 14: are bent laterally at substantially right angles thereto to form pivot-arms 18, which are pivotally connected with the clips 17 and 19, respectively. Certain of the pivot-arms 18 have their extremities bent transversely across the clips, as best indicated at 18* in Fig. 3 of the drawings, in order that the rod may be positively connected to the adjacent member of the device, while some of the arms 18 remain straight, so as to be removable endwise from the clips. It is preferred to have the rods arranged in pairs of diametrically opposite members, one pair, at least, being positively connected to one of the members and the other pair detachably connected to the other member in order that the device may be folded as shown in Fig. 3. By this means when the device is removed from the thimble or when prepared for shipment 'or storage the unbent ends 18 may be withdrawn from their respective sockets and the device collapsed into the shape shown in Fig. 3.

By this arrangement it is obvious a very simply-constructed and easily-applied flueclosure is provided which may be cheaply constructed, readily installed, and which will effectually exclude adverse air-currents to the chimney and likewise effectually prevent the escape of fire-cinders, smoke, or the products of combustion.

The cap member may be constructed in any desired fanciful design, and the exposed portions may be plated, painted, or treated in any other approved manner. It will be obvious that the detachable ends 18 of the rods 14: may be arranged upon the outer coverplate 10 instead of upon the stopper-plate 11 without affecting the principle of the invention.

In Fig. 5 is shown a modified form of means for attaching the bent ends of the rods to the plates 10 and 11, consisting in depressing the material between the clefts 15 16 to form clips 20 to engage the bent ends, and thus dispense with the clips 19.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A combined flue stopper and cap comprising a stopper member, a cap member spaced from and of greater diameter than the stopper member, and pairs of connecting-rods extending between the stopper and cap members and arranged in pairs of diametrically opposite rods, all of the rods being hinged to one of the members, one pair being hinged to the other member and the other pair being detachably connected to said other member, whereby the device may be collapsed when the detachable rods have been disconnected.

2. A combined flue stopper and cap comprising a stopper member, a cap member of greater diameter than the stopper member, tubular clips connected to the inner faces of the stopper and the cap members, and connecting-rods having their terminals bent into transverse pivot-arms for engagement with corresponding clips, the extremities of the arms of one pair of rods being bent transversely to form stops, and the arms of the other rods which are connected to the other member being removable from the clips to permit collapsing of the device.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signaturein the presence of two witnesses.

H JULIUS SAECKER.

Witnesses:

FRANK DREW, ADDA LEAOH. 

